Walter hunt



narran sri-iras PATENT canton.

WALTER HUNT, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

. lv HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,517, dated June 21, 1859.

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER HUNT, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and use-ful Method of Constructingv and Attaching the Heels of Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a side elevation ofthe counter, sole, and heel seat; Fig. 3 la vertical section of the improved heel; Fig. 4 a plan view of the shell of the heel; Fig. 5 a View of thel plate of metal of which the shell of the heel is formed; Fig. 6, a bottom View of the top lift of the heel; and Fig. 7, a section thereof.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to the method of forming and attaching heels to boots and shoes, and my said invention consists in making the external form of the heel of a metallic shell with an inner flange at the upper edge to fit over the usual heel seat of the boot or shoe, and between that and the counter or back portion of the upper leather, so that when pushed on from behind and fastened by a screw or screws, or other equivalent means, passing through the heel and into the heel seat or vice versa, the said heel will be firmly secured and held in place. And my said invention also consists in combining with the said shell and upper' flange the making of the said heel shell with a flange at the lower edge to inclose a core of wood or other suitable substance which fills up the inside of the said shell and forms a support or rest for the heel seat. And my said invention alsoA consists in combining with the heel shell a rotating top lift secured by a central screw, or equivalent therefor, so that it can be turned on the central screw, or equivalent, as it wears to equalize the wear thereof.

In the accompanying drawings (a) represents the heel shell which I prefer to make of sheet metal. I take a piece of sheet metal cut to the required form, such as represented at Fig. 5, which is the form required for a heel such as represented in the accompanying drawings, and by suitable dies and swages, or other suitable means, I put it into the form represented in Figs. l, 3, and 4:, with a flange (Z2) at the lower edge extending inward, but the upper flange I do not form until afterward. The two ends I connect by a clip joint as at (CZ) or by any other suitable means. To the inside of this shell I fit a core (c) of wood, or other suitL able material, taking care to give such a shape to the upper surface of the said core as to fit and form a rest for the under surface of the leather heel seat (f) of the boot or shoe. The upper flange is then to be bent in or formed by suitable means. This flange only extends along the back and sides of the heel, the shell being cut away along the upper edge forward of this flange, as at (g), to fit the outer sole (/i); l

TheV heel shell being thus formed and filled in with a suitable core is to be pushed onto the heel seat from behind, the flange (c) fitting between the heel seat (f) and the counter (2f) the said heel seat being thereby embraced between the flange and the upper surface of the core tc).- The ends of the flange (c) and the part of the shell are fitted to the rear end of the outer sole (It) so as to make a neat finish. The whole is then secured in place by one or more screws (Za, Z, Z,) which pass through the core and take into the leather of the heel seat. To give a better wearing surface I secure a top life (fm), as it is termed, to the under side of the heel, and this may be a plate of chilled cast iron, or other metal, or leather or other suitable substance, the outer edge of which is shaped to conform to the outer surface, of the shell, and to fit against the under surface of the flange (b) and then to be secured in place by the screws (is, Z, Z) or other equivalents, by which, the heel issecured to the heel seat. If the lower part of the heel instead of being of the horse shoe form be made circular the top lift can then be made in the form represented which is a circular plate that can be turned on the screw (In) as a center to equalize the wear. And in that case if other screws (Z, Z,) be used as additional means of fastening, the top lift can be made with a series of holes to admit of shifting it.

I prefer to make the top lift of chilled cast iron as being cheap and durable, but it will be obvious that other substances may be used instead, such as brass or other metals, or leather, or vulcanized india rubber or gutta percha.

Instead of making the heel shell of sheet metal, which I prefer, it may be cast of the form required, but in that case if the cord be made of wood or other solid substance shaped before being put into the shell the upper flange (c) is to be made separate and then secured to the shell in any suit-able manner. The shell may however be cast with both flanges in which case the core may be made in sections to admit of being inserted, or it may be made of some suitable substance or composition which can be put in and shaped while plastic, and then indurated, such as vulcanizable india rubber or gut-ta percha put in while in the green or plastic state and then vulcanized.

The outer surface of the metallic heel may be polished, if a metallic surface be required, as for military boots, or it may be `lacquered in imitation of leather and orna mented in any desirable manner. In some instances, as for ladies shoes, instead of a metallic top lift Ipropose to use leather attached by nails or other suit-able means to the core inside of the heel shell.

From the foregoing description of the mode of construction which l prefer, and the specified variations which I have contemplated, the skilful mechanic will be enabled to vary the mode of application of my said invention to suit all styles of shoes and boots according to fashion; and to make many changes in the mode of application without departing from the method of construction and attachment which I have invented.

I am aware that it has been proposed to make the heel of a boot of a metallic shell to be attached Vto the leather, but in such case lthe metallic shell was not provided with a flange projecting inward to fit over the usual heel seat of the sole, and between that and the counter or back portion of the up; per, and therefore deficient both in the means of attachment, and in the finish, there being no means of preventing the heel from being stripped or torn off except the screws, while on my improved plan the heel is held by the flange, and the only purpose of the screws or nails is to prevent the heel from being pushed back. Nor have such metallic heel shells, prior to my invention, been pro vided with an inward projecting flange combined 'with the upper flange to hold 1n and protect the inclosed core, and at the same time to give strength to the shell, although such shells have been made with a flange inside to fit against and form a seat for the under surface of the heel sole. And I am also aware that it has been proposed to use a rotating metallic top lift for the heels of boots, but not under a combination such as I have invented and herein described. And therefore I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim broadly as of my invention a metallic shell, nor a rotating metallic top lift for the heels of boots and shoes. t

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is* 1. Making the external form of the heels of boots and shoes of a metallic shell with an inner flange at the upper edge to fit over the usual heel seat of the sole, and between that and the counter or back portion of the upper, substantially as described, and to be provided with an inner core, and the whole to be secured to the heel seat, substantially as described.

2. I also claim in combination with the shell and upper flange and inner core substantially such as described, making the said shell with an inner flange at the lower edge, ubstantially as, and for the purpose, speci- 3. And I also claim in combination with.. a heel constructed substantially as above de- 85 scribed, and consisting of the shell with the upper and lower flanges and the inclosed core the employment of a rotating top lift, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.

WALTER I-IUNT.` Witnesses:

HORACE ANDREWS, ANDREW DE LACY. 

